Page 24 of Coerced

“I hate being made to feel that delivering justice is wrong.”

“I know you do, sweetheart.” I stretched out one hand. “Let the little boy go and come here.”

He took a deep breath, dropped the spikes, and stepped back from Cole. When he touched his fingers to mine, goosebumps raised on my arms. His eyes held murder in them, yet he cradled my hand in his as if it were a delicate orchid.

“For you, angel. Because you request it.”

And I knew that was theonlyreason he let me lead him away from his prey.

5. My One and Only

Gemma

“I owe you an apology.”

Kerry and I walked hand in hand out of the cafeteria. Now that he was fed, I figured he’d be stable enough to hear what I had to say. Food always put him in a good mood.

“For what?” he wanted to know.

“I got you into trouble. Again.” I heaved a heavy sigh. “Because of me, you got into a fight.Myfight.”

“Aw, angel, you know I never mind a fight.” He grinned that lopsided grin that always kicked my lungs into high gear. “I ain’t torn up over it.”

“It could have caused the Council to kick you out of the Sanctuary, though, and that would have tornmeup.”

“No way am I gonna screw up enough to get kicked out. I promise.” He drew an x over his heart, a gesture I’d taught him last fall. “I let him go, didn’t I? If he hadn’t turned on you, I wouldn’t have hit him again. I coulda walked away.”

I knew what he said was true. I’d seen with my own eyes how he’d dropped Cole to the ground all on his own, with only Hank coaching him to do so.

“Well, I’m still sorry I dragged you into my problems. And,” I drew in a deep breath, “I should have told you what I was going to do. I don’t like keeping secrets from you, and I feel ashamed for going behind your back.”

“I understand why you did.” He took my shoulders in his hands. “I know how I woulda reacted if you’d told me you planned to protest the F-Fers’ rally. And it’s not because I don’t trust you. It’s because I don’t trustthem.”

“I had to do it.” I wanted him to understand, but it was hard to put into words. “I have so many weaknesses that I have to do what I can, where I can, to make up for them.”

“What do you mean, so many weaknesses?”

“Oh, come on.” I rolled my eyes. “Unlike you, I’m nothingbutweaknesses.”

He surprised me by letting out a deep belly laugh.

“Are you crazy?I’mthe one who’s nothing but weaknesses. I can hardly read or write. I can only do basic math before it gets embarrassing. I can’t always control my temper. I have no idea how to be a friend. I’m violent and loud and aggressive.” He shook his head. “You’re not weak. I think the real problem is you’re jealous that I’m a warrior.”

“What?”

“You’re a fighter, which makes you want to use your power like a warrior. It frustrates you because you think you’re ‘just’ a healer.”

“I know some self-defense, but I don’t think I’d call myself a fighter.”

“You drained yourself to save me, you stood up for Lilas Tyne over that shrouder, you faced Reilly Argaud during the trial, and the list goes on.” He cupped my cheeks in his palms and his eyes were soft. “You don’t have to be a warrior to be a fighter.”

“I understand what you’re saying, but that doesn’t make me any less of a weakness for you. I hate being your Achilles heel.”

“What’s that?”

“An Achilles heel? It’s from an old Greek myth. It means your ultimate point of vulnerability.”

“And that’s what you think you are?”

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